Senior Project Manager, Engineering
Salary

Average pay for Engineering Senior Project Managers in the United States is more than reasonable, with annual salaries pushing past the six-figure mark ($112K). Total cash compensation to Engineering Senior Project Managers approaches anywhere from $82K on the lower end to $162K on the higher end; in exceptional cases, this can include more than $20K from bonuses and upwards of $18K from profit sharing. The specific employer is the biggest factor affecting pay for this group, followed by the particular city and experience level. Almost all report receiving medical coverage from their employers and a large number collect dental insurance. Engineering Senior Project Managers who took the survey are largely men, dominating at 88 percent. Most Engineering Senior Project Managers report high levels of job satisfaction. The figures in this rundown are based on the results of PayScale's salary questionnaire.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

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Job Description for Senior Project Manager, Engineering

A senior engineering project manager is responsible for managing staff, providing leadership, and assessing project deadlines and financial expenditures for large-scale engineering projects. They also monitor projects' productivity, quality, and progress. They also must ensure project safety and remain within projects' cost constraints. They support and direct project managers, project engineers, and assistants in planning, scheduling, and implementation of designs and testing. The job requires that they adhere to strict safety regulations and are in charge of implementing and maintaining policies. They report all project updates to the clients and make recommendations based on their professional education and experience. Senior engineering project managers work in a number of public- and private-sector organizations, in field such as environmental engineering, architecture, and construction. Their job can require some travel, and hours can vary depending on their chosen industry.

Senior engineering project managers are required to have strong technical writing skills for reports and project plans, and they must work under time-sensitive deadlines. They also should have knowledge in common computer applications such as the Microsoft Office suite. This job generally requires experience, perhaps 10 years, in the industry and may require a professional engineering registration (also known as P.E.). It is recommended that along with experience, job seekers have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in engineering or another technical disciplines; many companies will not substitute relevant experience for a bachelor's-level education.

Senior Project Manager, Engineering Tasks

Work with team to identify all project risks and develop mitigation strategies.

Common Career Paths for Senior Project Manager, Engineering

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For Engineering Senior Project Managers, progressing to a VP of Engineering role may result in a significant raise. On average, a VP of Engineering can earn $157K annually. More often than not, a Civil Engineer role is the next step for Engineering Senior Project Managers moving up in the field. Pay for Civil Engineers is usually $60K. Many Engineering Senior Project Managers choose to take on a Director of Engineering role instead, where salaries are typically $141K.

Senior Project Manager, Engineering Job Listings

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Popular Employer Salaries for Senior Project Manager, Engineering

Engineering Senior Project Managers fill the offices of leading firms The Boeing Company, HDR, Inc., CH2M Hill, URS Corporation Inc., and General Electric Co (GE). Engineering Senior Project Managers flock to Jacobs Engineering Group Inc for generous paychecks, where average earnings of $196K lead the pack in compensation. The Boeing Company, CH2M Hill, and URS Corporation Inc. also offer top salaries for Engineering Senior Project Managers. Workers at these firms can expect to earn about $161K, $134K, and $131K, respectively.

Also approaching the lower end are General Electric Co (GE) at $125K, HDR, Inc. at $129K, and URS Corporation Inc. at $131K.

Popular Skills for Senior Project Manager, Engineering

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Engineering Senior Project Managers seem to exploit a large range of skills on the job. Most notably, skills in Program Management, Strategic Project Management, Product Development, and Microsoft Project are correlated to pay that is above average. At the other end of the pay range are skills like AutoCAD, autodesk autocad, and Technical Analysis. Most people skilled in Engineering Design are similarly competent in Microsoft Office.

Pay by Experience Level for Senior Project Manager, Engineering

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

For Engineering Senior Project Managers, level of experience appears to be a somewhat less important part of the salary calculation — more experience does not correlate to noticeably higher pay. Individuals with fewer than five years of experience earn $95K on average, but those in the five-to-10 year group see a six-figure median of $104K. Engineering Senior Project Managers with one to two decades of relevant experience report an average salary of approximately $117K. Respondents who claim more than 20 years of experience may encounter pay that doesn't quite reflect their extensive experience; these veterans report a median income of around $126K.

San Jose offers some of the highest pay in the country for Engineering Senior Project Managers, 26 percent above the national average. Engineering Senior Project Managers will also find cushy salaries in Houston (+22 percent), Raleigh (+11 percent), New York (+10 percent), and San Diego (+7 percent). Engineering Senior Project Managers in Charlotte report much lower salaries than the rest of the country — 24 percent below the national average — proving that residence is a major factor in overall pay. Below-median salaries also turn up in Austin and Boston (10 percent lower and 5 percent lower, respectively).

Senior Project Manager, Engineering Reviews

What is it like working as a Senior Project Manager, Engineering at The Boeing Company?

Cons: The stress of having to deal with ego-driven program managers and department managers; being lied to (as a group) by the business group leader; being laid off because they found less expensive direct-chargeable personnel.